Statistics show that most children are abused by someone they know. It is important for parents to protect their children by cultivating a relationship that is open, loving, non judgmental and filled with trust. This is the best way to keep them safe.

One of my earliest childhood memories is the one where I wake up from sleep on my step uncle’s lap to find his finger inside of me. I can’t remember how old I was, I was definitely young enough to still be falling asleep on an adult’s lap but too young to really comprehend what was happening. I pretended to still be asleep, because I didn’t like what was happening to me, I was uncomfortable with everything but I wasn’t sure how to deal with it, so I just “slept” through it. I never went near my uncle again after that day. My parents would often take my siblings and I to his house so that his wife could watch us, so I would make sure that I would always stay close to his wife and I never fell asleep around him again. I never told my parents about this experience.